The RetrIever Weekly 02.19.08 SPORTS 23 Swimming AEC champs Basketball > from CHAMPIONS [1] Notebook: Hodges making quick recovery The men medaled in several events as On the women’s side, junior Tina they were able to rack up the points early Cantwell set a new pool and school so that they would have some separation record in the 100-meter breaststroke in the overall standings. Sophomore Matt with a time of 1:03.58. Cantwell would Mattingly made a name for himself in the later team up with sophomore Tereza early goings of the championship meet, Kaplanova, Surkovich, and Engler in the accumulating two silver medals for his ef- 400-meter medley relay with a time of forts in the 200-meter IM and as a part of 3:49.11 and set a new UMBC, pool and the 200-meter freestyle relay team. Mat- AEC championship record and pick up tingly came in second in the 200-meter a gold medal. IM with a time of 1:51.63, and freshmen On Sunday, the fi nal day of competi- Matt Carson and Brad Reitz took third tion, the Retrievers put the fi nishing and fourth place. Mattingly also was the touches on a great season, collecting fi rst one in the pool for the 200-meter four more gold medals. A one-two fi n- freestyle relay as juniors Milos Djukic and ish by Kutt and Djukic on the men’s side Sven Schneider, along with sophomore helped UMBC in the point total for the Zach Vonder Haar, came in second in the AEC fi nale as the two men completed event with a time of 1:24.26, grabbing the 200-meter backstroke in 1:49.77 and the silver medal. 1:51.84. Meanwhile, Bronson posted a On day three, more medals were won time of 46.02 in the 100-meter freestyle. LAUREN KASIMIR—TRW by the Retrievers and new records were The women added gold medals of > Randy Monroe’s Retrievers fi nd themselves holding a commanding lead in the AEC. set as UMBC plunged into action. Junior their own as Engler fi nished fi rst in the Justin Bronson set a new school and pool 100-meter freestyle with a time of 51.32. Corey Johns Monroe also said that Hodges being One more home game record in the 200-meter freestyle with a Cantwell had probably the biggest perfor- STAFF WRITER out has actually helped the team. They time of 1:38.65. The time set by Bronson mance of the four-day event as she had have won every game, and guys are Three of the fi nal four games for the broke the school record of UMBC alum an NCAA provisional qualifying time of For the past fi ve games the team getting more confi dent to see that they Retrievers are on the road as the lone Evan Patrick back in 2001 and was also 2:15.92 in the 200-meter breaststroke has been playing without their top can win without Hodges. Still, Monroe remaining home game is next Saturday good enough to surpass the time of Aus- and took the gold medal for that race, scorer, Brian Hodges. Hodges is the admitted that that they want him back against New Hampshire. tralian Olympic swimmer Ian Crocker. while Kaplanova came in second with a team’s sixth all time scorer and senior as soon as possible. “The games have to be played some- Bronson also anchored the 400-meter time of 2:18.70 that earned her the sil- captain. where and I think we’ve proved that we medley relay team that featured sopho- ver. Midway through a game against Biggest crowd of season at RAC can play and win on the road,” Monroe mores Rasmus Kutt, Auchter, and Reitz as The team’s total effort on both the Albany he went down with a high left said. the four men turned in a time of 3:24.65 men’s and women’s part played a great ankle sprain, an injury that typically It is amazing to see a crowd like Monroe recalled wins against Vermont to take the silver. deal in the success this season. Now as keeps players out for a month or more. the RAC had on a Sunday evening at in a hostile crowd as perfect examples of In addition to receiving silver medals, the team celebrates this most recent AEC He is expected to be back within the a UMBC basketball game. The arena how the team can win on the road. Kutt and Reitz fi nished with gold medal crown, they will be able to look back and next two games. was at near capacity with 3,492 in at- The team has six road losses, but only performances in their respective indi- see themselves as a part of UMBC’s dy- “Guys are getting more time and tendance -- the third largest crowd in one road loss in the conference. The other vidual events. Reitz cruised to a time of namic swimming and diving champion- when Brian does come back it is going RAC arena history. fi ve losses came to Lafayette, West Vir- 49.79 in the 100-meter butterfl y while ship history. to be huge,” said Jay Greene. “The crowd was phenomenal,” said ginia, Wichita State, Central Connecticut Kutt came in fi rst with a time of 50.26 in Head coach Randy Monroe was Monroe. “It makes a difference; the State, and Ohio State. The fi rst two road the 100-meter backstroke, which is now Donald Daniels is a Staff Writer for The running a seven man rotation while guys get juiced with the crowd. The losses were both early in the season when a new pool record. Retriever Weekly and can be reached for Hodges was healthy, which still gives atmosphere was almost euphoric.” the team was starting to bring it together, a lot of playing time to players. Now, The crowd was possibly the loudest and the other three were all to teams with the Hodges injury, the rotation one the RAC has seen in recent years that were in the NCAA tournament last Solid weekend for T&F has been cut to six. Players like Ray as well. season, Ohio State being national runner- Barbosa and Greene, are playing just “It was a fun game,” Barbosa said re- up. 12th overall with a height of 1.60 meters, about the entire game now that Matt ferring to the crowd noise. “The crowd “It’s always fun to go on the road and Corey Johns and Jasmin Batchelor fi nished 14th over- Spadafora has been forced into the was huge.” try to win games,” Greene said. “We’re STAFF WRITER all with a height of 1.55 meters. starting lineup. But Hodges could Barbosa also added that when the just enjoying the ride now.” On the men’s side stand outs include be back on the court by as early as crowd is big it helps the players win in Even though the event was not scored, Antonio Thomas, who held the high- Wednesday against Albany. close games, as was the game against Corey Johns is a Staff Writer for The both the men’s and women’s track and est overall position out of any event the “He’s making tremendous progress Boston. Retriever Weekly and can be reached for fi eld teams held their own. men’s side had. He placed sixth overall in right now,” said Monroe. comment at [email protected]. Ashley Fauntleroy fi nished second the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.32, in both the weight throw, where she re- which was only 0.03 seconds away from corded a distance of 16.77 meters, and in his career-best time set last year. 170 days remaining! shot put where she threw for a distance Brian Pendleton ranked seventh overall Countdown to... Beijing Olympics By: Suzie Richards of 13.34 meters. Also ranking in the top in the long jump with a distance of 6.88 20 of the shot put was Rachelle Wright, meters. Brian Hairfi eld also ranked in the Throughout the spring semester we will be doing a weekly countdown to the Beijing Olympics. Each third overall, with a distance of 12.85, top 20, 16th overall, with a distance of week, a different sport will be reviewed. Although these games seem a million miles from UMBC, we and Quiteelia Boyd, 11th overall, with a 6.54 meters, breaking his career best of will actually reveal how UMBC is connected to the greatest show on earth! distance of 11.72 meters. 6.47 meters. In the 60-meter hurdle Tawana Wilson In the 60-meter hurdles both mem- fi nished sixth overall with a time of 7.96, bers fi nished in the top 10. Camal Pugh Track and Field, the centerpiece sport of the Olympics, is to begin on Aug. 15, kicking off only .06 seconds slower than her career ranked seventh overall with a time of the second week of Olympic action. The action will take place in the ‘Bird’s Nest,’ the newly best. 8.38 and Aaron James fi nished ninth built Beijing National Stadium, which will seat 100,000 people. Jennifer Kalkstein also fi nished sec- with a time of 8.40. The USA has a very rich tradition in this premier Olympic event, topping the medal board ond overall in the 500-meter dash with In the 500-meter dash Marcus Dicker- convincingly over the years. However, host China will not let America have it all their own a time of 1:15.82. Nayda Pirela fi nished son fi nished 11th with a time of 1:06.13. way. China is determined to do well and has spent millions on coaching, facilities and athletes in the top 20, 18th overall, with a time He was the lone entry in the event. in a bid to shine on the global stage. Liu Ziang, the 110-meter hurdler and Olympic Champion of 1:13.09. The high jump, like the 60-meter The 60-meter hurdles had all three hurdles, had both guys fi nish in the from four years ago, will carry China’s hopes on his shoulders, and he will no doubt be moti- entries fi nish in the top 20. Tierra and Ki- top-10. Both Michael Buccheri and James vated by a population of 1.25 billion cheering him on. erra Gregory both fi nished in the top 10: Mildenberger fi nished tied for 9th place As well as cheering on America’s fi nest athletes, UMBC students should not miss the wom- Tierra fi nishing second, 8.97, and Kierra with a height of 1.88 meters. en’s shot put, admittedly not a traditional glamor or high profi le event within track and fi eld, fi nishing seventh, 9.13, a career best, and Anthony Rose was the only other mem- but one where a former UMBC athlete may be in action. Cleopatra Borel was UMBC’s fi rst Boyd fi nished 19th with a time of 9.53, ber of the team to place in the top-20 in a Division I National Champion in 2002 and went on to compete for Trinidad and Tobago at the also a career-best. men’s event. He fi nished 17th in the triple Athens Olympics in 2004. In the long jump Ama Duah fi nished jump with a distance of 13.32 meters. 15th overall with a distance of 5.07 me- So, when watching the action in the Bird’s Nest, keep an eye out for Cleo and remember ters. Corey Johns is a Staff Writer for The only a few years ago she was representing UMBC. You never know who the next UMBC In the high jump both freshmen fi n- Retriever Weekly and can be reached for Olympian will be! ished in the top-20. Sara Allen fi nished comment at [email protected].